The Aftermath
by sweetondean
Summary: Now that Sam and Dean know that Bobby decided to stick around and not go with his Reaper, they face a tough decision. Keep Bobby with them? Or help him move on for good? Post episode scene for 7.19.


"Do you think this is far enough?" Dean indicated a sign ahead that said 'Bar'.

Sam nodded, "Yeah, I'd say we're out of range."

Dean swung the car into a parking space and got out.

"This ain't right Sam. I feel bad."

"I know. Me too. But we've gotta talk and we can't do it with him around."

"Yeah but leaving him behind like that…."

They'd entered the bar and were making their way to a booth in the back.

"We told him we were going out. We'll explain later. He'll understand."

"Hmm maybe…" Dean mumbled as he slid across the seat. "Don't make me feel any better though."

Sam simply shrugged.

A waitress came to take their order. "What can I get you two?"

"Just a couple of beers sweetheart." Dean said, flashing her a weary smile.

"You got it," she said and Dean absentmindedly watched her sashay away.

"So, what are we gonna do?" Sam asked.

Dean turned to his brother and sighed. "I don't know Sammy, I don't know. What can we do? I mean, short of burn the flask, which obviously we are not going to do."

"Should we talk to him? Try and make him see reason?" Sam offered unconvincingly.

"I don't know that he'll listen. He's a stubborn bastard, you know that. I mean, stubborn enough to do this. Hang around when he should be…." Dean trailed off as the waitress approached with their beers.

"You boys need anything else, you give me a holler." She grinned down at them.

"Sure thing sweetheart, but we're good for now." Dean shot her another smile and waited until she'd gone before he continued.

"He shouldn't even be here Sam. He should be in Heaven. With his wife. You know? I mean, that's what I've been picturing. That's what's got me through. Bobby in Heaven. At peace. With his wife. He deserves that. But he's here. He's been here the whole time." Dean shook his head and took a swallow of beer.

They sat in silence.

"Wait." Dean said suddenly. "If he's been here the whole time. Jesus Sam. I mean, did we do anything? I don't know, anything we shouldn't have?"

Sam laughed. "What like skip school Dean? You think he's gonna ground us?"

"No smartass, I mean….oh God." Dean put his head on the table.

"What?"

"The Amazon chick Sam. The Amazon chick."

"What about…..? Oh God did you have….."

"Yes… Oh Jesus Sam, I had the flask with me. Remember, I left it at her place, which means… Oh God…." Dean groaned. "As if that experience didn't creep me out enough! Now…what? Bobby was there the whole….?"

"Oh Dean for Christ's sake stop." Sam visibly shuddered. "I don't want to think about it!"

"You don't wanna think about it? How'd you think I feel?" Dean put his hands over his face and shook his head. "Our lives are weird."

"No shit" Sam huffed.

They were silent again, lost in their own thoughts.

"Why would he do it?" Dean spat out.

"What? Watch you…"

"No Sam. Christ. No. Why'd he stay? Why'd he _choose _to stay?"

"Right. Sorry. Unfinished business I suppose. Same as most spirits who hang around. He wants revenge on Dick Roman."

"Nah Sammy it's more than that, you know it is. It's us. He stayed for us." Dean ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah…." Sam said, almost in a whisper. "I know…"

More silence.

"Still, maybe after we kill Dick and get rid of the Leviathan…."

"You're optimism is showing Sammy."

Sam shook his head. "What I mean Dean is, if he gets the chance to finish the job, maybe he'll move on, you know, like Dad did."

"We don't know what happened to Dad." Dean said dismissively, "But yeah… maybe… We need to talk to him about it, we need to….man, this is so wrong….." He rocked his empty glass back and forth in his hands and sighed. Looking up at his brother their eyes met. A small smile lifted the corners of Dean's mouth. "It was good to see him again though huh?" he said quietly.

"Yeah it was." Sam smiled too. "I just wish…"

"Yeah me too."

Another silence.

"So…what's the plan Dean?" Sam asked softly.

Sometimes Dean was surprised by how young Sam sounded. How expectant he could look. How like a little brother he was. He took a deep breath. "We go talk to him I guess. He's gonna be pissed at us anyway for ditching him at the motel, so might as well tell him straight. Tell him we get it and we appreciate it. We're glad to see him and grateful to have him here, but, he can't stay. He ain't gonna want to hear it, but it's not the natural order. It's not good for him and he deserves better. Tell him, after we sort out this Dick Roman mess, he's gotta move on, to the light or, whatever. Hell, we might be moving on with him."

Sam grunted. "True."

"I think that's all we can do Sammy. Just talk to him. Hope he listens."

"Ok."

"Ok then. Let's go face the music."

Sam laughed. "I feel like I'm about to get busted for something."

Dean chuckled "Yeah, me too….."

They left the bar and walked back to the car.

Dean stopped and looked off into the darkness.

"What is it?" Sam said, following his brother's gaze.

"We're gonna have to go through it all over again aren't we Sammy? Go through saying goodbye to him all over again." Dean looked at Sam across the car. "I don't know that I can do it. I don't know that I've got it in me. Haven't we been through enough? I mean. Wasn't once…..enough….?" Dean's voice hitched as he trailed off.

Sam just looked at Dean. There was nothing to be said.

They got in the car and headed back to the motel in silence.


End file.
